Earlier today a NeoGAF forum user by the name Hiphoptherobot posted a photo accompanied by the claim that they had received their Switch preorder more than two weeks early. The poster declined to mention from where they had ordered their system, out of concern that Nintendo may retaliate against the retailer.

When pressed for details about the system and proof of their possession of it, Hiphoptherobot posted a roughly three minute video showing them tapping through the setup and user interface of Nintendo's new hybrid console.

[Since publication it has been confirmed by Nintendo that this unit was stolen and then sold illegally; as a result we will no longer embed the video here. If you decide you want to view it anyway, you're welcome to do so at your own discretion.]

In the video we learn that the initial setup can be performed in TV mode or handheld mode, and that it looks like the eShop isn't quite ready yet. Unfortunately, the lucky poster did not receive any games with their console, so they aren't yet able to do much with the console.

Given that the Switch release date is a few weeks away, we'd guess that the story about the console coming from a retailer is a bit of a tall tale; it's more likely that the unit is either intended for a developer or for the press, and the poster has therefore broken an NDA by posting the footage.

Irrespective of the true story, what do you think of the Nintendo Switch UI? Do you wish it was here now? Let us know in the comments.

Steve has imported every Nintendo Console since the Super Famicom and plans to make a trip to Japan to track down a 64DD. He likes to study foreign languages and enjoys hunting for rare Nintendo collectibles.

It looks lovely, and I'm glad to see they are finally doing away with the kiddy-looking OS of the Wii and Wii U. Nice and slick and clean. Also, that speed... It makes the Wii U look super slow in comparison.

@LegendOfPokemon Because this is prior to launch? Why would they say anything yet especially if it IS ready by launch?

This console is from someone that has it more than 2 weeks early. They wouldn't enable eShop functionality before launch, that would be silly.

It's just a tiny bit of code change to enable/disable the connection to eShop (or any online connection for that matter as long as it's not p2p). It means that the connection is disabled and NOTHING else. You're looking way too deeply into this.

Watching this emerge live on GAF reminds me why I love the gaming community! The collective hype over a fairly mundane (although important) feature brings me so much excitement and it warms my heart that we're all experiencing this whirlwind of feelings at the same time. Jeez I love videogames!

@LegendOfPokemon Considering the Switch doesn't launch for another 2 weeks, of course the eShop won't be online yet. But it will be day one otherwise how are people going to purchase and download games?

@Ernest_The_Crab@IceClimbers@FragRed It makes sense that the eShop isn't ready before launch, but there has been no confirmation that it WILL be ready at launch, and I can't fathom why Nintendo would withhold information about an important feature of their console.

@LegendOfPokemon Except it has been confirmed to be available at launch. I Am Setsuna and Little Inferno are launch day titles and are digital only. Not to mention that you can purchase the Zelda DLC on launch day.

Looks really nice and responsive, and the setup and config looks so much better laid out. I love that it has a dark theme too....makes handheld use in darker locations a lot easier on the eyes (and a lot less irritating to other people around.) It's everything WiiU's interface should have been! But it actually looks visually similar to the WiiU UI. A nice evolution of it. I like it.

A little silly to call it a "leak" though. We're 15 days from launch and these units exist for public demos and press play. Everyone in the world can see one in person if they go to the demo unit locations. It's not like it's a Secret to Everybody at this point.

@liveswired 3DS does. PS4 has videos and such loading in the back, which is maybe a bigger resource hog. It's not so unusual. I honestly can't figure out WHY the WiiU OS is so slow to load and change to the settings menu. There really shouldn't be that much to it with what it's doing. Even the 3DS blazes past it.

@NEStalgia I'd say alot of the speed issues are down to lack of optimisation on Wii U.

Also the considering that the interface is a 3D environment with a plethora of effects may be impacting heavily. I could be wrong, but the interface on Wii U is definitely memory intensive. The PS4 interface is very streamlined compared.

@liveswired Well since they really started winding WiiU down before they ever really wound it up, it makes sense they didn't spent much effort making cosmetic improvements. Plus being part of the "Wii" branding, the whole white-on-white thing is kind of a trademark of the brand, so it makes sense. It's also arguably not that useful on a set top box as much as a portable.

But, yeah the performance....I don't even think it's the 3D interface that bogs it down. That's pretty low-level graphics, and is barely pushing the same hardware that can run Breath of the Wild and Xenoblade X. But I will always be curious what actually does make it so slow! Maybe they just super-underclock the CPU when on the menu for power savings or something? It's all pretty weird. It's not amazing hardware but it's decent enough that it shouldn't take a minute to switch to the settings panel and back. It's like it does a full memory test every time you load the menu.

It will forever be a mystery, but it's a sad one since I think that really hurt the WiiU early on. And remember it was much SLOWER back then!

This Switch interface is gorgeous though. And I'm not usually a fan of minimalism. And I truly hate Sony's cluttered mess of a UI (I've never seen a Sony UI I didn't hate though, on any product.)

@LegendOfPokemon I would say considering they likely started production months ago that you expect a patch is necessary out the box to bring everything up to speed. The eShop will be up on the 3rd. Some people only plan to go digital, not having an eShop would be crazy. Also if I'm not mistaken there are some digital only games releasing at launch so the eShop would be mandatory anyway. Looking forward to March 3rd!

Would be nice if we could use the themes we have on our 3DS, have the option of whether we want to use the top screen or the bottom (as dual screen isn't possible with the Switch. (I probably don't need to add that bit, but someone will say something stupid without reading the full comment if I didn't.))

@LegendOfPokemon I mean there's no confirmation of Virtual Console even existing at launch. If it's not ready then why would they talk about it? Them intentionally making a press release just to say "Virtual Console won't be there launch day" would be silly and just create negative reactions, why talk about something that won't exist yet? Heck, we don't even KNOW we're getting VC, it seems implied (especially due to the upcoming paid online that will give us access to old titles) but Nintendo has no reason to talk about a feature from their previous two consoles if it's not available at launch. Wii U had no VC at launch, and I don't think 3DS did either... heck, didn't Wii get it a few weeks after launch? (I could be wrong with that one.) Given it wasn't mentioned, I'd assume no VC at launch and they'll talk about it when they have an idea when that is coming. But the eShop is a given and there's no reason to think otherwise, if they haven't officially shown off the system interface then it seems silly to expect them to show off the eShop interface.

I like seeing switch stuff but I really have a problem with people breaking their promise of silence . no matter what it's about.,an agreement is an agreement. I don't know,maby I'm to romantic or old fashioned but I don't like it

Okay watched it now and don't even know why I'm jealous, like obviously there'd be nothing to play on it until launch but... I just wanna hold it, I wouldn't bother uploading a video online but I'd sure as heck show my friends if I was in this person'S shoes. Also, I do like the UI so far.

As for whether the person really happened to get the shipment early... it seems unlikely but it's only two weeks away, anything is possible. If he had a developer's system why wait until now to share? If he was a reviewer, why not show off whatever game he got with it to review (he could claim they came in the same shipment). Not saying his story must be true but I don't think it's too far fetched either. He still is a lucky duck to have this in his hands early.

Did anyone noticed the settings that allows you to disable sleep mode while watching media content ? What could it means ? You can upload videos/music on the sd card ? Where's the player app, does it means Netflix/Spotify ? That's cool !

@BLP_Software"That OS speed seems to surpass the PS4. I know I cant go and mess with system settings that fast on it.And that's...mind blowing"

My thoughts exactly. And that's not a knock on the PS4- in fact it's served as the gold standard of snappy gaming OS for years now... it's much more a compliment to the Switch that Nintendo finally designed us a modern system OS that gives the PS4 a run for its money, maybe even has it beat (PS4 has been a lot laggier this past year, Idk what it is but it hangs for a second or so sometimes).

I was hoping, really really hoping Nintendo wouldn't screw the OS up... Me and my bro were talking about it (he's more a PS gamer, doesn't always get Nintendo at launch although he does always get it eventually) and he basically said he doesn't have the patience for another tortoise from Ninty... and tbh, I'm in agreement. They really needed to get this right. And they did! I'm so happy to see this.

@JaxonH I enjoy the PS4 OS for what it is, grated it baffles me something built on Linux forks took so long to get damn folders, but that's another issue entirely.

The OS, while cluttered, has been responsive, exceptions being going through very messy settings menus and especially recently slowdown, though I've often noticed it since I got my unit over a year ago now.

But this. THIS. This is fast, clean, sleek, not cluttered, not easy to lose things, and most importantly it is exceptionally speedy.

Cool, but it's just a shame you have to go through so much convoluted crap with modern consoles just to even start using them properly. This is why something like the NES Mini is so special imo; it's pure and simple like gaming used to be and still kinda should be imo.

@BLP_SoftwareWell, if you disliked PS4 layout, you might not like Switch's either... It looks like it has a pretty similar layout actually with large tiles for games (be they cartridges or downloads) with the same "scroll right to see more" approach. I didn't see any way to shrink the tiles like you can on Wii U/3DS, and folders will be anyone's guess. If there's folders it's fine.

I suspect the reason it's so fast is because there's really not much going on in the background. Of course that's not a knock on it, the wii u had nothing much going on and still moved like a turtle, so this is awesome news to me! I love how snappy it seems

I bet theres a direct about eshop day 1 and the vc/subscription details

I myself have booked march 3rd off work. Im not waiting all fay to collect and play with a brand new nintendo console!
...but then i took a day off for the day my japanese super famicom arrived from a japanese seller on ebay last year...

@JaxonH My problem with PS4 wasn't that it was a list of tiles. It was that it was a list of tiles, with folders, on a folder based OS, that didn't let users make folders.

That and it had tiles all neat, with so much crap going on around them. There is a lot of screen and a lot of it is crap that has to load up on each tile that slows you down (At least Ive seen it as more games are added)

These leaks are becoming more and more frequent. There's bound to be a Direct coming either next week or the week after, it's a no brainer, but I just don't understand why would Nintendo cut it so close to launch? Especially since there are a lot of things were still kinda in the dark with.

@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Hey, I never once had any issue with the lack of that stuff on my SNES, N64, or GBA SP (as just a few old examples), and I don't think I'd miss the vast majority of modern stuff now if I could get back to basics and the core important stuff. I honestly don't want to bother with accounts, Miis, endless system settings, EULAs, inputting card data, connecting with my "social" media friends, posting game screenshots/videos directly to some streaming site, seeing the time, etc. Some modern stuff—fine. Most current modern stuff—it's all just convoluted meh. Again: This is why I think the NES Mini is kinda awesome. A modern day Nintendo console like that in priniple, with modern graphics power and stuff, would be potentially amazing imo. I just don't want all the unnecessary fluff.

Note: I'm not really picking out Switch in particular for this; it's a problem with pretty much all modern consoles. I just mention here because it makes perfect sense giving the video above, obviously.

I love the little chimes that play during the system setup. Also the sounds that play for each option you open is a nice touch. Though I do hope there's some kind of Mii music that plays in the Mii Maker, I doubt there will be since it's buried in settings but another rendition of the original Mii Channel would be great. I can only hope for that small detail.

It is simple for sure. Quick is always nice, but I will miss seeing all those Miis running around. Shame on whoever posted it. Is it really that hard to keep your mouth shut for a few more weeks? But you never really know, good way to generate a little buzz.

For those doubting it's authenticity - personally I always doubt - there was a PS4 Slim out in the wild BEFORE IT WAS EVEN ANNOUNCED. I think it wound up being from Arab Emirates or someplace in the middle east.

At first I was watching thinking I didn't like the white UI and wished there was a dark mode... then he switched on dark mode, and I was pleasantly surprised. I am happy to see its much faster than the Wii U's interface. I hope it stays just as snappy as features are added and content is installed.

@00Wyvern I honestly can't speak much for PS4 since the last time I saw it was in 2015. It's still very cool, though. The UI is fast and there are some good effects, but I can't give you an apples to apples comparison. And since you don't want to watch it for fear of spoiling the experience before launch, I'll leave it at that. Hope that helps.

@PeskyPlumber You watched the adaptation of the first game, right? You're in for a treat, because the games are several orders of magnitude better than the anime.

Also, after you finish the three currently released Danganronpa games (1, 2, and Ultra Despair Girls), be sure to watch the Danganronpa 3 anime, as it's a follow-up and conclusion to those three games. There are various light novels to read as well that flesh out various aspects of the universe, but they're not really necessary to understand everything.

Good timing on getting into the franchise, what with the older games releasing on PS4 and PC and the next DR game, Danganronpa V3, releasing in the West later this year!

I hope they improve on themes and add even more thematic integration into the UI. Imagine changing the text to "Mario Font". That would be cool. Or a sonic theme where you hear different songs from Sonic 2 depending if you're on at the home menu on on the settings screen. Instead of just one theme song like 3DS currently has.

Honestly? It looks better than Switch's. Switch OS looks too much like an Android clone. At least the Wii line had original OS designs, and neither was it as slow as a lot of people think it is. Minus the bright color palette, Wii U OS actually looked a little similar to the PS2's startup towers, clock rods, etc. That variety of system style actually looks really cool to a lot of people.

@Doctor_Pancakes Right, the least they could have done for this poor guy was give him Breath of the Wild to go with his Switch. Having the Switch for two weeks prior to release, that's just cruel. It's like having a new sports car in your garage, with the keys to be delivered in two weeks.

That's exactly what I was thinking and that would be so awesome. I also want to be able to add photos from social media or an SD card and use them as my background and screen saver/lockscreen. Being able to make the font different would be cool too.

Anyways I love how the UI looks and the sounds are dope. Only two more weeks!!!!

Can't watch the video yet as I'm heading to work, but has anyone confirmed whether the screen is glass or plastic yet? Trying to decide whether to bother with a screen protector, if it's glass I probably won't need one.

@remag The account thing still needs a confirmation. The recently leaked dev docs say that you can use a single account on multiple Switch devices, but it doesn't say if you can download and play the games on other devices than which they were bought on. I think?

@LegendOfPokemon why would they announce the eShop isn't ready when nobody has the console legitimately. Now I assume you mean if the eShop will not be ready or not for launch why don't they announce that. I'll make a second assumption, the fact that they haven't announced that it won't be ready ala 3DS launch suggests to me it will be ready

The OS looks very.... BORING, by default. It doesn't have anything to set it apart with it's own identity. No transluscent purple cube floating in the ether, no channels, no Miiverse community, nothing. This is probably one of the least inspiring console OS styles I've ever seen. Even the PSP/PS3 XrossMediaBar was more distinctive than this. Sure, it's snappy, but at what cost? It's like it gave up it's soul for speed... And how telling it is that Toad with his hands over his face, silently screaming in agony, was one of the first character images to appear after completing the setup process.

If I ever get an NS, the first thing I'm going to do with it is inject some God damn personality into it. I will rip out a piece of my own soul, and shove it into the NS. Because this OS desperately needs a soul to call it's own.

@iGen I didn't get a chance to see the NS OS yesterday. Was skeptical of your words until I saw it... Holy crap... It's like it needs a sacrificial altar, Shin Megami Tensei style, to fuse some kind of style or personality into it.

I guess the big question - and the reason damo feels the need to write comments like this - "although if you believe that story, we have some magic beans we'd like to sell you" - has to do w/ how the device was obtained and not it's authenticity. Though it does look like a retail box to me, wasn't just a console smuggled out in some guys pants. Though it strikes me as really odd, and none to bright, that Ntinedo would box that 6" screen facing up w/ even a box cutter could do it damage, better to have the back up to take the brunt of the UPS shipping abuse and put a solid piece of cardboard under it. But that's just may, I worry about screen damage.

@Ralizah Yeah i watched first anime as well as both arcs of Danganronpa 3. A lot of people say that the games are worth it even if I already watched the show, so I'm definitely going to go for all main series games!

It's a UI. The user interface. UIs aren't supposed to be fancy or pretty for the sake of being fancy or pretty. It's supposed to be fast and convenient for the user to navigate the hardware. That's what the Wii U and 3DS UIs didn't do very well.